Heel-seat fitting machine



Feb. 21, 1939 G HAZELTON 2,147,742

HEEL- SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 21, 1939. G, HAZELTCN 2,147,742

HEEL-SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 VE/V TUQ M TlgrlO ig 5?;

G HAZELTON HEEL-SEAT FITTING MACHINE FebQ 21, 1939.

Filed Sept. 13, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEEL- SEAT FITTING IWACHINE Application September 13, 1937, Serial No. 163,589 In Great Britain September 24, 1936 16 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes and is illustrated as embodied in a heel-seat fitting machine.

In preparing the heel-seat portions of attached soles of shoes of the McKay type for the reception of heels, by the use of the machine disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,017,151, granted October 15, 1935, on an application filed in the names of Hazelton, James 8; Bacon, it has been found that the lines of stitches which secure the sole to the shoe upper and often extend rearward of the heel-breast line of the sole interfere with the proper positioning of the shoe in the machine. Accordingly, in operating upon McKay work it is common practice for the operator of the machine to sever stitches extending rearward of the heelbreast line of the sole by the use of a hand knife preparatory to positioning the shoe in the machine, This additional operation is undesirable because it requires considerable time and also because there is a tendency for the operator to cut sole-attaching stitches which are located forward of the heel-breast line of the shoe.

- With the foregoing in view, and in accordance with a feature of this invention, there is provided a heel-seat fitting machine comprising means to be received between the upper of a shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, means for cutting stitches securing the heel-seat portion of the sole to the shoe upper, the

stitch-cutting means being normally masked by the first-named means and being rendered operative in response to resistance encountered by said means upon engagement with said stitches, and means for reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole. In the illustrated construction two slides, each carrying a knife which is normally held by a spring with its cutting edge masked by the slide, are moved inward between the shoe upper and the forward end of the heel-seat portion of the shoe from opposite sides of the shoe. When the lines of stitches extending rearward of the heel-breast line of the shoe are encountered by the slides and the movements of the slides are arrested, the knives move forward to sever the stitches.

The above and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied in an illustrated machine and pointed out in the appended claims, in which Figs. 1. and 2 are side and front elevations respectively, partly in section and partly broken away, of the illustrated machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a bracket, parts of which have been removed, for supporting stitchcutting knives and slides for carrying and masking the knives;

Fig. 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan View showing the knives illustrated in Fig. 3 in the process of cutting sole-attaching stitches to enable the knives and their carrier slides to be interposed between the upper of a shoe and the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe upper preparatory to trimming the sole for reception in a groove formed in the breast of a heel to be attached to the shoe;

Fig, 6 is a section on line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of one of the stitchcutting knives in its masked position upon its carrier slide;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the heelseat portion of the sole of the shoe clamped against the stitch-cutting knives and the carrier slides preparatory to trimming the sole;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of mechanism for locking the stitch-cutting knives and the carrier slides in their operative positions shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the rear end of the shoe after it has been trimmed by the above machine;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a heel to be attached to the shoe of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of the rear end of the shoe after the heel has been attached.

The illustrated machine is described with reference to trimming soles 20 which are attached to shoes 22 by stitches 24, for the reception of heels 26 (Figs. 11 and 12). The soles are trimmed to predetermined lengths by beveling cuts, the beveled rear ends 28 (Figs. 10 and 12) of the soles being constructed and arranged to fit in grooves 311 (Fig. 11) when the heels are attached to the shoes. The advantages of the above shoe construction are set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 2,027,431, granted January 14, 1936, upon an application filed in the names of Hazelton, James and Bacon.

The illustrated machine is similar in many respects to the machine disclosed in said United States Letters Patent No. 2,017,151 and is provided with a jack 32 (Fig. 1) comprising a plate 34 of suitable shape to fit the heel end of the inside of the shoe and a jack post 36 the lower end of which fits in a guideway 38 formed in a jack support 40 rigidly secured to a pedestal 42.

As will presently appear, the heel-seat portion of the sole 2!! of the shoe 22 mounted upon and raised by the jack 32 is forced by clamps 44 (Fig. 8) against stitch-cutting knives 46 and carrier slides 48 therefor which have already been moved to 55 their operative positions, while a skiving knife 50 (Figs. 1 and 8) moves forward and toward the shoe upper to trim the sole lengthwise and to form upon the sole a beveled surface I (Fig. 10) which faces the shoe upper.

The sole-supporting plate 34 (Fig. 1) is pivoted to a screw 52 threaded into a rod 54 which fits in a bore 56 of the jack post 36 and has a recess 58 for receiving a spring 60. The lower end of the spring 66 is in engagement with a screw 62 secured to the jack post and fitting in a slot 64 of the rod 54. The shoe-supporting plate 34 is normally raised with relation to the jack post 36 by the spring 66, upward movement of the plate being limited by the screw 62. The operator moves the jack 32 to its forward loading position along the guideway 38 and after placing the shoe upon the jack moves the same rearward until the rear end of the shoe upper engages a back gage 66 which may be moved into different adjusted positions along a guideway 68 of a bracket 10. The bracket 16 is pivoted upon trunnions 12 (Figs. 2 and 3) of an upstanding yoke 14 (Figs. 2 and 9) which has a flange 16 (Fig. 9) fitting in a guideway 18 of an overhanging arm 80 of the pedestal 42. The yoke 14 may be secured in different heightwise positions to the overhanging arm 86 through the provision of the screwand-slot connection 82.

The back gage 66 (Fig. 1) is provided with an arcuate slot 84 which is centered about the axis 86 (Figs. 2 and 3) of the trunnions 12, the arrangement being such that when the back gage 66 is swung about the axis, together with the bracket 16, for purposes which will appear later. the position of the back gage with reference to the bracket will not be changed. In order to move the back gage 66 into different positions in the guideway 68 (Fig. 1) of the bracket 16 there is provided a slide 88, a bifurcated portion of which carries a pin 90 fitting in the arcuate slot 84. The slide 88 is moved forward and rearward in a guideway 92 of a block 94 by a lever 96. The lever 96 may be connected to a heel-measuring member (not shown) of a heel gage such, for example, as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,847,244, granted March 1, 1932, on an application filed in the names of Hazelton and Ricks.

The bracket 18 is provided with a U-shaped opening 98 (Fig. 3) of suitable shape to receive the heel end of the shoe upper and also comprises a pair of guideways I66 (Figs. 3 and 4) for receiving the carrier slides 48. Formed in the upper surfaces of the carrier slides 48 are guideways I 82 (Figs. 3 and '7) in which the respective stitchcutting knives 46 fit. The carrier slides 48 and the knives 46 are moved toward each other to their operative positions (Fig. 8) between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe, by levers I64 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) carrying depending pins I66 (Figs. 3 and 4) which fit in slots I68 (Fig. 7) of the shanks III) of the knives 46. Secured to each of the carrier slides 48 is an upstanding pin II2 positioned in a recess II4 of the shank II6 of the knife 46. When the pins II2 are in engagement with the inner faces of the respective recesses I I4 as shown in Fig. 7, the cutting edges I I6 of the stitch-cutting knives 46 are masked by the carrier slides 48, and when the pins II2 are in engagement with the outer faces of the recesses II4 the cutting edges II6 project beyond faces II8 of the slides. The stitch-cutting knives 46 are normally masked by the carrier slides 48, which may also be referred to as masking slides, through the provision oi. springs I26 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4), the inner ends of which are secured to the depending pins I66 and the outer ends of which are secured to extensions I22 of the carrier slides. The levers I64 are pivoted at their rear ends upon studs I24 (Fig. 4) secured by screws I26 to the bracket 16, and are swung about the studs I24 by upstanding arms I28 having bifurcated lower ends receiving knobs H6 secured to the levers I0 4.

The carrier slides 48 are therefore moved through the stitch-cutting knives 46 which are normally held in their masked positions on the carrier slides by the springs I26. It will be noted that when the carrier slides 43 encounter lines of stitches 24 which, as above stated, often extend rearward of the heel-breast line I32 (Fig. 10) of the sole, the springs I 26 yield and the knives 46 move inward with relation to the carrier slides and project beyond the leading faces II8 of the slides, thereby cutting the stitches 24 which prevent the slides and the knives from being moved into their operative positions (Fig. 8) After the stitches 24 have been cut, the slides 48, forced by the springs I26, advance with relation to their respective knives 46 to assume their masked positions shown in Fig. '7.

The carrier slides 43 and the stitch-cutting knives 46 are held in their respective guideways I96, I 62 by cover plates I34 which are secured by screws I36 to the bracket and are provided with arcuate recesses I33 (Fig. 3) for receiving the depending pins I66 (Figs. 3 and 4) carried by the levers I64.

The skiving knife 56 (Fig. 1) is secured by screws I46 to a carrier I42 which is movable along a guideway I44 of the overhanging arm 86 of the pedestal 42 and is pivoted at its rear end to a lever I46. The rear end of the lever I46 is pivoted to a link I48 the lower end of which is pivoted to a hand lever I56 and the upper end of which is pivoted to a lever I52 hinged to the overhanging arm 86. The hand lever I56 is normally held in its rear position by a spring I54, forward movement of the hand lever being limited by a stop screw I56 threaded into the pedestal 42. Rearward movement of the hand lever I56 is limited by the engagement of the carrier I42 with a stop screw I58 which is threaded into the pedestal 42.

It will be noted that the front upper edges I60 (Fig. 7) of the stitch-cutting knives 46 are approximately in alignment with the axis 86 (Figs. 2 and 3) about which the bracket 16 is swung and that the forward movement of the trimming knife 50 (Fig. l) is reversed when its cutting edge I62 has moved a slight distance forward of the front upper edges I68 of the stitch-cutting knives 46. The stitch-cutting knives 46 and the carrier slides 48 support the heel-seat portion of the sole while it is being trimmed by the knife 56, and may therefore be referred to as cutting blocks.

The upstanding levers I26 (Fig. 2) for operating the stitch-cutting knives 46 and the slides 46 are pivoted at I64 to the yoke 14 and have their upper ends connected through links I 66 to a slide I68 (Figs. 1 and 2) fitting in a vertical guideway I16 of the overhanging arm 86. The slide I68 is connected by a link I12 to a lever I14 which is pivoted at I64 (Fig. 2) to the yoke 14 and the left end of which is connected by a rod I16 hinged to a treadle (not shown).

In order to hold the slides 46 and the stitchcutting knives 46 in their operative positions (Fig. 8) while the sole is being trimmed, the illustrated machine is provided with mechanism, which will now be described, for locking the treadle rod I l6 in itslowered positiomthe mecha nism being released during rearward movement of the hand lever I50 to permit the treadle rod to be raised by a spring I18 (Fig. 2). A latch I is pivoted to the lever I14 and is normally urged in a clockwise direction Fig. 2) by a spring I82 until limited by a stop I84, the lower end of the "latch I80 being positioned in a recess I86 (Figs. 2

and 9) of a plate I88 secured to the overhanging arm 80, when the machine is idle. When the treadle rod I18 is fully depressed the latch I00 is raised and is moved-by the spring I32 to an operative position over the upper surface of the plate I88 thereby holding the treadle rod depressed. When the skiving knife 50 has completed its forward cutting stroke and the hand lever I50 is returning to its rear position, the latch I80 is swung in a counterclockwisedirection (Fig. 2) by mechanism which will appear later and drops in the recess I86 to permit the slides 40 and the stitch-cutting knives 46 to move away from each other to their inoperative positions. The mechanism for effecting the release of the latch I80 comprises a lever I (Figs. 1 and 9) which is pivoted at I02 (Fig. 9) to the overhanging arm 80 and the rear end of which is constantly urged toward the path of movement of the hand lever I50 by a spring E94. The hand lever i511 during its return stroke engages the rear end of the lever I80 and moves the same in a counterclockwise direction. Pivotally connected to the lever I90 is a latch-operating arm I96 which is normally urged in a clockwise direction by a spring IE8 and has a cam surface 200 arranged to engage a fixed pin 202, the arrangement being such that as the hand lever I50 is moved forward a shoulder 204 of the latch-operating arm I96 engages the latch 880. When the hand lever M0 is moved rearward and the lever I90 is swung in a counterclockwise direction, the shoulder 204 on the latch-operating arm I96 forces the lower end of the latch I80 to the right and permits it to drop into the recess I35 thereby causing the slides 48 and the stitch-cutting knives 46 to be moved to their outer positions by the spring I'lt (Fig. 2).

It has been found that the entry of each slide 48 and corresponding stitch-cutting knife 46, which may be collectively referred to as a slide, is facilitated by the provision of a presser member 20% (Figs. 1 and 2) constructed and .arranged to be forced downward upon the central part of the forward end of the heel-seat portion of the sole. The presser member 200 tends to separate the sides of the heel-seat portion of the sole from the shoe upper and allows the slides 48 and the stitch-cutting knives 46 to be readily interposed between the heel-seat portion of the sole and the shoe upper. The presser member 206 is positioned between the sole clamps 44 and comprises a bulger 208 having a serrated sole-engaging surface, and an upstanding plate 2l0 mounted for movement in the vertical guideway E3 (Fig. 9) formed between the yoke I4 and the overhanging arm 8%. The plate 2I8 is operated by a link 212 (Figs. 1 and 2) the upper end of which is pivoted to a hand lever 2 I 4 mounted upon a bearing 2 I6. A spring 2 58 secured to the rear end of the lever 2 I4 normally retains the handle 220 of the lever 2 It and the bulger 208 in their raised inoperative positions. Downward movement of the bulger 208 is limited by the engagement of a screw 222 threaded into a projection of the plate 2I0 with the yoke I4.

After setting the back gage 60 the operator places the shoe upon the plate 34 and moves the jack post 30 rearward'along the guideway 38 until the rear end of the shoe engages the back gage, the shoe passing into the .U-shaped recess contact with the sole edge, the operator ceases further to depress the treadle rod I'M but holds the same in its partially depressed position. Any manual adjustments desirable to centralize the shoe with respect to the slides it and the stitchcutting knives 4t and to locate the shoe so that further depression of the treadle rod Illt will cause the slides and the knives readily to be interposed between the heel-seat portion of the sole and the shoe upper are then made.

The operator by varying the pressure of the shoe against the back gage 66 can control the angular position of the bracket 70 about the axis 88 to the extent desirable to bring the slides 48 and the stitch-cutting knives 45 into their most suitable positions to engage between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole.

When the shoe has been positioned as above described, the operator depresses the handle 220 of the lever 2G4, forcing the bulger 208 against the central part of the heel-seat portion of the' sole. Pressure of the bulger 208 against the sole tends to make the adjacent edges of the sole gap away from the shoe upper, thereby facilitating entry of the slides 48 and the stitch-cutting knivestt between the shoe upper and the heelseat portion of the sole. While keeping the bulger 208 pressed against the sole, the operator further depresses the treadle rod I16 to move the slides 48 and the stitch-cutting knives 48 toward each other until the lever H4 engages a. stop screw 226 (Fig. 2). The slides 48 normally mask the cutting edges I I5 of the stitch-cutting knives 46 and prevent the same from damaging the shoe upper or the sole as the knives advance. When, however, stitches 24 to be out are encounter-ed, the carrier slides 48 yield with respect to the cor responding knives 4t, exposing the cutting edges IIE of the knives and severing the stitches 24 encountered. If the stitches at one side of the shoe are severed before stitches at the other side of the shoe, the uncompensated pressure of the knife against the latter stitches might tend to displace the shoe upon the jack 32. The serrated lower face of the bulger 202, however, maintains the work in proper position upon the jack 32. The bulger 208 engages a portion of the sole surface which is subsequently received in the groove 30 and therefore does not tend to mar any portion of the sole which is exposed in the finished shoe. The carrier or masking slides 48 and their associated stitch-cutting knives 45 travel toward each other until the lever has engaged the stop 226, at which time the faces N8 of the slides are separated from each other by approximately one-eighth of an inch. When the carrier slides 48 and the stitch-cutting knives 48 have reached their advanced positions the latch I30, above described, is operated to hold the same in such positions, thereby enabling the operator to remove his foot from the treadle which operates the rod IIB without having the slides and the knives returned to their initial positions.

The operator then depresses a treadle (not shown) connected to a rod 228 (Fig. 1), the upper end of which is pivoted to a lever 23!] mounted upon a bearing 232. When the treadle is depressed the forward end of the lever 23!] raises the rod 54, thereby forcing the shoe upper with considerable pressure against the carrier slides 48. The raising of the shoe upper causes the bracket 10 to move slightly in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1) so that the heel-seat portion of the sole is forced against the cutting edge I62 of the retracted trimming knife 50. The treadle which operates the rod 228 is also pivoted to a pair of rods 234 (Figs. 1 and 2) the upper ends of which are pivoted to a carrier 236 hinged at its rear end to the overhanging arm 80 and supporting the above-mentioned clamps 44 which force the forward end of the heel-seat portion of the sole against the stitch-cutting knives 46 and the carrier slides 48. The mechanism for operating the clamps 44 and the lever 230 is substantially identical with corresponding mechanism disclosed in said United States Letters Patent No. 2,017,151 and need not be further described herein.

When the shoe has been positioned and clamped in the machine as above described the operator advances the skiving knife 50 by moving the hand lever I50 forward to sever a chip of material from the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe. As the hand lever I50 is moved rearward to its retracted position it releases the latch I80, thereby permitting the carrier slides 48 and the stitch-cutting knives 46 to return to their initial positions.

In order to support the stitch-cutting knives 46 against downward thrust communicated to them during the sole-trimming operation, two hookshaped supports 238 (Figs. 1 and 2) are secured to the yoke 14, the supports having arcuate surfaces 240 (Fig. 1) passing under curved surfaces formed at the under surface of the bracket Hi, the arrangement being such that the supports uphold the bracket against downward displacement but do not interfere with the pivotal movement of the bracket.

Although the illustrated machine has been described with reference to severing stitches by which the sole is secured to the shoe upper, it will be understood that the machine may be effectively used where the sole is secured to the shoe upper by other means than stitches, for example, when the heel-seat portion of the sole is attached to the shoe upper by cement the arrangement will serve to sever the cement bond between the heel-seat portion of the sole and the shoe upper.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means to be received between the upper of a shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, means for cutting stitches securing the heel-seat portion of the sole to the shoe upper, said stitch-cutting means being normally masked by the first-named means and being rendered operative in response to resistance encountered by said first-named means upon engagement with said stitches, and means for reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole.

2. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means comprising masked knives, said means being constructed and arranged to be received between the upper of a shoe and the heel seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, mechanism for operating said knives to position said means between the shoe upper and the heelseat portion of the sole of the shoe, and means for trimming the sole to a predetermined length.

3. A heel-seat fitting machine having in combination, a support for a shoe, means constructed and arranged to be received between the upper of the shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, means for cutting stitches or for breaking an adhesive bond by which the heel-seat portion of the sole is secured to the shoe upper, said stitch-cutting and bond-breaking means being normally masked by the first-named means and being rendered operative in response to resistance encountered by said first-named means upon engagement with said stitches or said adhesive bond, and means for reducing the heelseat portion of the sole for reception in a groove formed in the breast of a heel to be attached to the shoe upper.

4. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means for positioning a shoe, means comprising pairs of slides and masked knives movable toward and away from each other widthwise of the shoe and constructed and arranged to be received between the upper of the shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, said knives being rendered operative to cut stitches or to break the adhesive bond securing the heel-seat portion of the sole to the shoe upper in response to the engagement of said slides with said stitches or adhesive bond during movement of the slides toward each other.

5. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means for positioning a shoe, cutting blocks movable widthwise of the shoe toward and away from each other and constructed and arranged to be interposed between the upper of the shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, each of said blocks comprising a slide and a knife carried by the slide, said knives being normally masked by corresponding slides but being movable with relation to the slides in response to the engagement of said slides with stitches by which the sole is secured to the shoe upper to cut said stitches thereby enabling said cutting blocks to be moved to their operative positions between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole, and a knife cooperating with the cutting blocks to trim the sole to a predetermined length and to form upon the same a beveled surface which faces toward the shoe upper.

6. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a support for the heel-seat portion of the sole of a shoe, said support comprising pairs of stitch-cutting knives and slides movable toward and away from each other widthwise of said sole, each of said slides having a guideway for receiving a corresponding knife, yieldable connections between the knives and corresponding slides for operating the slides and for normally retaining said knives in predetermined masked positions with relation to the respective slides, operating mechanism connected to the knives for moving the knives and the slides widthwise of the sole, and means for trimming the heel-seat portion of the sole to a predetermined length.

7. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a pivotally mounted member, means for positioning the heel end of a shoe relatively to said member, a pair of slides mounted upon said member, said slides being movable widthwise of the shoe to their operative positions between the upper of the shoe and the forward end of the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, a knife carried by each of said slides, said knives being normally masked by corresponding slides but being movable with relationto the slides in response to engagement of said slides with stitches by which the heel-seat portion of the sole is secured to the shoe upper to out said stitches thereby enabling the slides to be moved into their operative positions, a trimming knife movable forwardly of the sole and toward the shoe upper, and means for operating the trimming knife to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole by a beveling cut.

8. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means for positioning a shoe, a pair of slides movable widthwise of the shoe, said slides being mounted for movement about an axis extending substantially along their upper forward portions, said slides comprising means for cutting stitches or an adhesive bond by which the forward end of the heel-seat portion of the sole is secured to the shoe upper, a trimming knife, means for forcing the shoe upper against the under sides of the slides and for forcing the sole mounted upon the slides against the cutting edge of the trimming knife, and means for moving the trimming knife in a predetermined path the forward end of which terminates immediately in advance of the upper forward portions of the slides to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole.

9. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a pivotally mounted member, pairs of slides and knives carried by said member, means for moving corresponding pairs of slides and knives toward each other to their operative positions between the upper of a shoe and the heelseat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, means for causing the knives to be normally masked by the slides and for causing the knives to move beyond the slides in response to the engagement of said slides with stitches or an adhesive bond by which the sole is secured to the shoe upper, a trimming knife, means for forcing the shoe upper against said member and for forcing the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe against the cutting edge of the trimming knife, and means for operating the trimming knifeto form upon the sole a beveled surface which faces toward the shoe upper and extends from one side of the sole to the other.

10. A hee1-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a jack for supporting a shoe, a trimming knife, means constructed and arranged to be positioned between the upper of the shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, knives for cutting stitches or for breaking adhesive bonds by which portions of the heel-seat portion of the sole are secured to the shoe upper, means for normally causing said knives to be masked by the first-named means and for rendering the knives operative in response to resistance encountered by said first-named means upon engagement with said stitches or said adhesive bonds to out said stitches or to break said bonds, means for moving the jack and said first-named means to force the sole against the cutting edge of the trimming knife preparatory to trimming the sole, and means for moving the trimming knife in a predetermined path to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole lengthwise.

11. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a yieldable jack constructed and arranged to be engaged by the heel portion of the inside of the upper of a shoe having an attached sole, a pair of cutting blocks movable widthwise of the shoe to their operative positions between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe, a bulger for forcing the forward central part of the heel-seat portion of the sole toward the jack to facilitate entry of said cutting blocks between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole, clamping means for forcing the heel-seat portion of the sole against said cutting blocks when the latter have been moved to their operative positions, and means for moving the knife forward and toward the shoe upper to trim the heel-seat portion of the sole to a predetermined length.

12. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a pair of cutting blocks mounted for translatory movement to their operative positions between the upper of a shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, said cutting blocks also being movable about an axis and comprising masked knives for cutting stitches or for breaking an adhesive bond between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole, means for locking the cutting blocks in their operative bination, a jack for supporting a shoe, a trimming I knife, cutting blocks mounted for movement about an axis, said cutting blocks comprising pairs of slides and knives movable inward from opposite sides of the shoe to their operative positions between the upper of the shoe and the heelseat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, said knives being normally masked by corresponding slides but being movable to their unmasked positions when said slides encounter stitches or an adhesive bond by which the sole is secured to the shoe upper thereby cutting said stitches or breaking said adhesive bond to enable the slides and the knives to be moved to their operative positions between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole, the upper forward edges of the respective stitch-cutting knives being arranged approximately in alinement with said axis about which the cutting blocks are moved, means for raising the jack to force the shoe upper against the cutting blocks and to force the heel-seat portion of the sole against the cutting edge of the trimming knife, and means for moving the trimming knife forward and toward the shoe upper in a path the forward end of which approximately intersects said axis.

14. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a pivoted member having an opening shaped to receive the heel end of a shoe, a gage adjustably secured to said member for positioning the heel end of the shoe in said opening, a pair of cutting blocks carried by said member, said cutting blocks being movable widthwise of the shoe to their operative positions between the upper of the shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, each of said blocks comprising a knife which is normally masked, means for unmasking the knives when the blocks engage stitches or adhesive bond by which the sole is secured to the shoe upper to cause the stitches to be cut or the adhesive bond to be broken thereby enabling the blocks to move to their operative positions between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole, a trimming knife, and means for moving the trimming knife forward and toward the shoe upper to reduce the Cir heel-seat portion of the sole for reception in a. groove formed in the breast of a heel to be attached to the shoe.

15. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a yieldable jack for a shoe, a bracket movable about an axis and having an opening for receiving the heel end of the shoe, said bracket comprising pairs of slides and knives movable widthwise of the shoe to their operative positions between the upper of the shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, means for causing the knives to be normally masked by the slides, means for moving the knives with relation to the slides when the latter engage stitches or an adhesive bond by which the sole is secured to the shoe upper to cause the stitches to be cutor the adhesive bond to be broken thereby enabling said slides and said knives to be moved to their operative positions between the shoe upper and the heel-seat portion of the sole, the upper front portions of said stitch-cutting knives being arranged approximately in alinement with the axis about which said bracket is moved, a trimming knife, means for raising the jack to force the heelseat portion of the sole of the shoe against the cutting edge of the trimming knife, clamps forforcing theheel-seat portion of the sole against said slides and said stitch-cutting knives, and means for moving the trimming knife toward said axis to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole for reception in a groove formed in the breast of a heel to be attached to the shoe.

16. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means constructed and arranged to be positioned between the upper of a shoe and the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to the shoe upper, means for reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe, a knife for cutting stitches or for breaking adhesive bonds by which portions of the heel-seat portion of the sole are attached to the shoe upper, and means for normally causing the knives to be masked by the first-named means and for rendering the knives operative in response to resistance encountered by said firstnamed means upon engagement with the stitches or the adhesive bonds whereby to out the stitches or to break the bonds.

GEORGE HAZELTON. 

